Tablet container and dispenser



Mach 25 1941 J. RASCHKIND *I TABLET CONTAINER AND DISPENSER Filed; March 8, 1939 2/ I'Ilnhul v INVENTOR dof/fm /cff//K/Af BY sf ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 25 EME miran STATES gnam PATENT ort-ica 10 Claims.

The invention relates to a container for medicinal tablets in which container such tablets may be conveniently carried in a substantially closedcondition protecting the contained tablets from dust and the effects of atmospheric conditions such as moisture. thereby keeping them in substantially their original condition o! purity and cleanliness, while at the same time being capable of being dispensed from the container individually and without exposing the remaining tablets in the container to contact with dust and moisture of the atmosphere.

An object of the invention is to provide such a container, and dispensing closure device there- 10 for, which is substantially compact, s0 as to be suitable for carrying the same about the person, for instance in a pocket of wearing apparel or in a purse, and thus make the contained tablets available for use in an emergency, for instance outside of the home or office. l

A further object of the invention is to provide such a container and dispenser which is extremely simple in construction and therefore in oost of manufacture, and is characterized by an 5 extremesimplicity in manipulation to permit the removal therefrom of one or more tablets individually.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated two specific embodiments of my invention 3" without defining its limits, thev embodiments shown in such drawing being selected for purposes of illustration and are to be regarded as such rather than as limiting the nature o! the invention. In such drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a tablet container and dispenser constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig, 3 is a plan view of the body o! the container with the cover portion thereof. embodying -lll the dispensing closure, removed therefrom; Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the cover member in a direction substantially at rigl'it angles to that of the section of Fig, 2, with Aauch cover member positioned upon the container body; 4" Fig. 5 is a side view of the container; Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the cover member and closure structure embodied therein; and Fig. 7 is a plan view similar to Fig. 3 of a modified form of the body memberof my novel tablet container. 00 Referring more particularly to the drawing, in

which similar reference characters identify similar parts in the several views, IU is the body of the container which may suitably be molded or otherwise fabricated from any of the com- 55 position materials now on the market, for insbl (Cl. G-42) stance, a phenolic condensation product. Such container body is constituted of the base portion il, the upwardly extending peripheral rim I2 and an integrally formed inner rim or compartment I3. Connecting Vthe outer or peripheral rim I2 5 and the inner rim I3 and formed integrally therewith are aplurality of radial ribs Il, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, which ribs Aand annular rims thus form a plurality of individual compartments I5 of sufiicient size and conguration 10 to accommodate aV single medicinal tablet I5.

The upper surface of the container body lil,

i. e. .the free edge of the rim l2 is preferably formed rounded as at Il, with a circumferential track I8 between the rounded upper edge of the 15 rim and the remainder of the container body, so that such rounded upper free edge constitutes a bead running substantially throughout the lip of the .container body. Disposed substantially throughout the circumference of the track i8 at 20 approximately the mid-point of each of the compartments i5 are an equal number of slight depressions i9 for a purpose hereinafter described more in detail.

The cover portion of my novel tablet container and dispenser, generally designated as 26, is constituted of a dise-like member 2l which preferably may be formed of a slightly resilient material, such as sheet metal, although it may be also formed of composition material, which disc has a depending ange or skirt portion 22, the lower extremity of which is provided with a slight curvature as at 23 so that when the cover 2e is` superimposed upon the container body the curved extremity 'of the skirt portion 22 snaps into the 35 track il of the body and moves in such track upon rotation of the cover upon the container body as hereinafter described. In order to facilitate the snapping oi the cover portion upon the container body, and to permit its free rotation 40 thereon, the skirt portion 22 is provided with a, plurality of slits 24 extending vertically from the lower edge thereof to substantially near the disc portion of such cover.

The cover for my novel tablet container and dispenser is provided along substantially to one one side of its horizontal center line as defined by the section line 2--2 on Fig.l l with a'pair of ribs or beads 25 and 26,-formed by pressing the material of the cover member outwardly. Between these ribs and extending from one edge of the cover to substantially its center is an opening 21. Supported for sliding movement between the ribs 25 and I26 and extending slightly thereunder, is a closure slide 28 which carries at its free end 55 an upwardly extending knob or button 23. The

- cardboard liner 32, which may be secured within closure slide 2l is thus adapted to be moved by means oi the knob 2| from a position in which it covers thel opening 21, to a position in which it uncovers such opening by being slid backwardly along the ribs and 28 to beneath the portion of the cover between the ribs 28 and 28, being stopped in its sliding movement either by the abutment of the knob 2l against the leading edge of the portion of the cover disposed between the ribs 2l and 28, or by the abutment of the end of the slide against the inner surface of the cover. For controlling the sliding movement of the closure slide I may provide one or more projections Il upon the upper surface thereof, which projection or projections are adapted to snap, in one or the other of the positions of the slide, into a correspondingly coniigured recess I i Supporting the slide 28 within its raceways against the interior surface of the cover', is a the cover in any suitable manner, for instance, by an adhesive, and which is provided with an opening 88 -substantiallyof the configuration of one of the compartments i5 ofthe container body so as to permit the passage therethrough of the tablet contained in such compartment.

The assembling and manipulation of my novel Y tablet container and dispenser is as follows:

The container body, prior to the application thereto of the cover portion thereof, is filled with the tablets to be contained and to be dispensed therefrom, cada tablet being positioned in an individual compartment t8. 'Ihe filling of the con'- tainer in this manner is an extremely sirnple operation capable of being accomplished by automatic machinery in which the container body may be positioned for rotation about its center and one tablet at a time permitted tobe dropped from a hopper or reservoir into the various compartments. The re-illing of fthe container by a consumer of the tablets is likewise extremely simple as the cover may be readily removed and each individual tablet may be merely positioned over its individual compartment and dropped thereinto in which it will assume its proper position for being dispensed from the container when the cover is replaced thereover. Such cover, ailter the container body has thus been charged with the tablets, may be snapped into position upon the container body when 'it may be rotated until the projection Il', provided upon the inner surface ofthe skirt 22 at the exact center of one of the tablet compartments, snaps into one of the depressions I2. This position o! :the container will indicate the proper alignment of the opening 21 and therefore of the closure slide 28 with the center line of one of the compartments I5, thereby indicating .that upon the movement of the closure slide to its retracted position beneath the portion of the cover between the ribs 25 and 26, a single tablet il may be removed from the container by turning the container upside down or a mere nipping thereof suillcient 'to dislodge the tablet uncovered by the slide from the container body. If it is desired to dispense a second tablet, .the cover portion maybe rotated to the nent succeeding depression i! in either direction and .the tablet then uncovered removed from its compantment. The container may then be closed by sliding the closure 2l to its position in which it covers .the opening 21 and the container is then ready for the next operation of dispensing a single tablet, by rotation of the cover portion one more notch, or of .the projection i3 to the next succeeding depression I l.

In Fig. 7, I have shown a slightly modified form of my invention. In such modiiled form, the container body is similarly constituted and substantially similarly shaped, but instead of having a plurality oi ribs separating the individual tablets, the central rim 3| is provided with a number of radially extending truncated ribs 35 forming between them hollows 88, to accommodate one end of each of the tablets, the ribs being equal in number to the number of tablets for which the container is designed, and the outer rim 3l has extending inwardly therefrom pairs of ribs 38, 38, forming between each pair of such ribs hollows 39 accommodating the outer portions of the tablets. With the exception of this modicaltion in the form of the container body, :the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 7 is substantially like that of the ilrst and preferred embodiment, the same type of cover and closure member and the features thereof hereinabove described being used. y

While I have described specific embodiments of my invention, it will be obvious that various changes Itherein,`rparticularly in the arrangement and configuration of the several paints thereof, may be made without departing from my invention.

l. A medicinal tablet container and dispenser comprising a 'body portion having an upwardly extending outer rim, an upwardly extending centrally disposed anchor, and integral radial ribs extending from said anchor to said outer rim,

forming uniformly spaced individual compartments for receiving and retaining the' tablets in substantially ventically disposed upright position, a cover having a peripheral depending skirt and superimposed upon said body portion with the lower extremity of said skirt in frictional contact with the outer surface of said body portion', said cover having a radially extending opening eX- tending from the center of the cover to its periphery and adapted to be brought into registry, upon rotation of .the cover, with a single tablet compartment, and a closure slide for said opening.

2. A medicinal tablet container and dispenser comprising a body portion having an upwardly extending outer rim, an upwardly extending centrally disposed anchor, integral radial ribs extending kfrom said anchor to said outer rim, for-ming uniformly spaced individual `compartments for receiving and retaining the tablets in substantially vertically disposed upright position, said outer rim having a peripheral indented track near the upper edge thereof and a plurality of depressions therein, a. cover having a peripheral depending skirt and superimposed upon said Ibody portion with the lower extremity of said skirt disposed within said track, a projection extending inwardly from the' skirt and adapted to enter one of the depressions in said body portion, said cover having a radially extending opening extending from the center of the cover .to its periphery and adapted .to be brought into registry upon rotation of the cover, with a single ltablet compartment, and a closure slide for said opening.

3. A medicinal tablet container and dispenser comprising a body portion having an upwardly extending outer rim, and an upwardly extending inner rim, and integral radial ribs extending from said inner rim to said cuter rim, forming individual compartments for the tablets, a cover having a peripheral depending skirt and superextending trom said anchor outwardly and from imposed upon said body portion with the lower extremity of said skirt in irictional, resilient con tact with the outer surface oi said body portion, said cover having a radially extending opening adapted to be brought into registry, upon rotation of the cover, with a. single tablet compartment, a pair of elongated beads formingv tracks disposed to one side of a center line of said cover, a closure member slidable within said tracks. a knob extending upwardly from said closure member, and a liner for said cover having an aperture-of a size and coniiguration permitting the passage therethrough of a single tablet.

4. A medicinal tablet container and dispenser comprising a y portion having an upwardly extending outer rim, and an upwardly extending inner rim, and integral radial ribs extending from said inner rim to said outer rim, forming individual compartments for the tablets, said outer rim having a peripheral indented track near the upper edge thereof, and a plurality of depressions therein, a cover having a peripheral depending skirt and superimposed upon said body portion with the lower extremity of said skirt disposed Within said track, said shirt having a plurality of slits extending upwardly from its lower extremity, and a, projection extending inwardlyk the cover portion between said beads, a knob extending upwardly from said closure member and a liner for said cover having an. aperture of a size and configuratlonpermitting the egress oi a single` tablet from one of said compartments.

5. A medicinal tablet container and dispenser comprising va y portion. having azi-upwardly` extending outer rim, an upwardly extending inner rim, and radial ribs extending from said inner rim and from said inner rim and from said outer rim,- said outer rim having a peripheral -indented track 'near the upper edge thereof, and

a plurality of depressions therein, a cover having a peripheral depending skirt superimposed upon said body portion with the lower extremity of said skirt disposed within said track. said skirt having a plurality of slits extending upwardly from its lower extremity, and a. projection extending inwardly from one point thereon and adapted to enter one of the depressionsin the outer rim of said body portion. said cover having a radially extending opening adapted to be brought into registry, upon rotation of the cover, with a single tablet, a pair of ribs disposed to one sideof the center line of said cover, a closure slide for said opening slidable beneath said ribs to extend under the cover portion between said ribs, a knob extending upwardly from said closure slide, and a liner for said cover havingan 'aperture of a size and. conguratio'n permitting the egress of a single tablet from one oi' said com'- partments.

s. A medicinal tablet container anddlspen'sercomprising a body portion having an upwardly extending outer rim, an upwardly extending centrally disposed anchor, andintegral radial ribs said outer rim. inwardly, forminguniformly spaced individual retaining hollows receiving and retaining for the tablets in substantially vertically disposed u'pright position, a cover having a peripheral depending skirt and superimposed upon said body portion with the lower extremity of said skirt in frictional contact with the outer surface of said body portion, said cover having a radially extending opening extending from the center of the cover to its periphery and adapted to be brought into registry, upon rotation of the cover,

with a single tablet compartment, and a closure slide for said opening.

7. A medicinal' tablet container and dispenser comprising a body portion having an integral outer rim and a'centrally disposed anchor, means associated with said rim and anchor to form a plurality of individual compartments for tablets to receive and retain such tablets in substantially vertically disposed upright position, a cover for said body portion adapted to be resiliently snapped on the outer rim thereof arid having an elongated aperture in the upper surface thereof thesize of the width of a tablet in such vertlcally disposed, upright position and adapted to be brought into registry, upon rotation of the cover upon said body portion, with one of the tablets in said compartment.

8. A medicinal tablet container and dispenser as claimed in claim 7, in which the cover member is provided with a closure slide and at each side of the closure slide with a pair of tracks for permitting sliding movement of said closure to positions covering and uncovering the aperture in the surface-of said cover.

9. A medicinal tablet containerand dispenser comprising a body portion having an upwardly extending outer rim. and an upwardly extending inner rim, and integral radial ribs extending from said inner rim to said outer rim, forming individual compartments for the tablets,` a cover.

having a peripheral depending skirtand superimposed upon said body portion with the lower extremityA of said skirt in frictional, resilient contactA with the outer surface of said body portion,

said cover having a radially extending opening adapted to be brought into registry, upon rotation'of the cover, with a single tablet compartment, a pair of elongated beads forming tracks disposed to one side of a center line of said cover, a closure member slidable within said tracks, a knob extending upwardly from. said closure member, and a liner for said 'cover having an aperture of a size land configuration permitting 'as claimed 1n claim v, 1n which the outer nm oi' the body portion is provided with an inwardly curved track having a. plurality of depressions corresponding to the number of tablet compartf ments, and the cover member is provided with a projection sliding within said/ track upon rotation of the cover and adapted to enter one of said depressions in said track.

JOSHUA RASCHKIND. 

